Christmas in Brussels Top 10 List

Top 10 things about celebrating Christmas in Brussels:

1. Hanging with my new aunt-in-law and her awesome friends

2. Chocolate!

3. Frites

4. Drinking champagne at every meal

5. Hoegaarden and all the other awesome beers we tried

6. A day trip to the fairy tale-like Ghent

7. More Christmas markets

8. Seeking out the local dive and enjoying a bowl of potato leek soup after eating rich foods for a week & Paying 1,50 euros for the soup after spending all your money in Paris.

9. Seeing the manneken pis wear a Santa suit with my awesome new sister-in-law.

10. The fact that Belgium is very French in food and style but Belgians are a whole lot more friendly and relaxed. Cheers to that!

Paris at Christmas at night

Just a few more pics from when the sun went down and the Eiffel tower laser light show started....

Oyster Season in Paris!

Never in a million years did I think we would ever go back to Paris, or better yet go during oyster season. But the stars aligned as we headed to Brussels, Belgium for a destination Christmas with Alexander's family. We spent two magical nights in Paris on our way over and have to say that Paris is best in winter and that staying in a working class residential neighborhood beats the tourist trap that St. Germain has become any day. The first night we bought some oysters right on the street and a bottle of champagne and headed over to Eiffel tower for a picnic. We stumbled upon a great Christmas market, filled up on vin chaud and even went ice skating with the help of some liquid courage. We finished the night watching the Eiffel Tower light show, which was unexpected and truly spectacular. What a night! The next day was full of shopping (my cheek bones get higher just thinking about it) and we finished it off with a decadent meal at La Truffe Noire just in time to catch the end of the white truffle season. Bon Appetit!

Note: Pics coming soon!

Happy Birthday to Me!

I finally decided on my 29th birthday present to myself. I knew I wanted a classic quilted Chanel bag but was having a tough time deciding on which style and what size until I saw it in person (LOVE!). I chose the Chanel Reissue 2.55 in black with gold hardware.

I love the charming story of the features. For example, Chanel grew up in an orphanage, and the shoulder strap, which is a double chain, resembles the chains that the keepers at the orphanage would wear at their waists. The zippered compartment on the inside of the front flap was the place where Coco Chanel would stash her secret love letters. The interior of the bag itself is a brownish red, which was the color of the orphan’s uniforms, and the back outside flap was where extra money for tips could be stashed.

What really sold me on this one was the Mademoiselle Lock over the CC logo closure. After all, it is the way Coco Chanel designed it herself in 1955, and I have never been a logo kind of girl. It is so nice to finally be at a point in my life where I can treat myself to such luxury!

Perfect Fall Day in the Texas Hill Country

This Saturday, I escaped from a long work week by heading west to the Texas Hill Country with one of my best girl friends. We first stopped at Driftwood Vineyards for a bottle and a picnic. We ate mozzarella, tomato and pesto sandwiches and sipped wine overlooking the vineyards covering the Texas Hills. It was perfect for the cool, crisp October weather we have been blessed with recently. Next we headed to downtown Wimberley for some shopping and came back with some really great finds for our homes (pictures to follow). It really was the perfect fall day!

- Photo courtesy Driftwood Vineyards -

Celeb Websites

Recently, I have been interested in celebrity websites. It's just like reading every day people's blogs about beauty and fashion, but these people have access to advice us normal folks would never have. And they're willing to share! Here are two celebrity sites I am spending time on recently: Nicole Richie and my favorite, Gwyneth Paltrow.

We're Famous!

Our wedding was featured in a local wedding blog thanks to our fabulous photographer and friend, Kristi Wright! Check it out!

Our New Kayak!

The husband an I recently got a kayak and have been cruising the lakes in Austin, Texas. I am so looking forward to taking it to the coast in two weeks.

Provencial Honeymoon!

Lavender fields, wine, cheese, vibrant colors, passion, and most of all love - here we come! Headed to Povence and the French Riviera for 15 days on our honeymoon! I can't wait.

I feel like a princess with the special wedding treatment, this lavish trip, and my new PRINCE. I couldn't ask for more!

6.6.09 We got hitched!

We did it! Alexander and I were united in a Christian ceremony before our family and closest friends (34 people total) on June 6, 2009. I had no idea I would be so nervous in the ceremony but it all worked out, and everyone seemed to have a good time. We started with the ceremony, and served Salt Lick B-B-Q from Driftwood, Texas and folks chose tea, beer, wine, whiskey or for some, all of the above. Dinner was followed with a jass band, Bernson & Bayless, of which my friend is the singer and ukulele player. People were really impressed with the music. Then came the cutting of the cake (a $32 tres leches from the Mexican bakery down the street) and a champagne toast from our fathers and friends. Next, our friends and family hammed it up at the photo booth where a life size Elvis made an appearance. It was CRAZY! We then were sent off in a yellow cab surrounded by a gaggle of yelling friends with bells. Totally memorable and outrageous!

I must admit I am trying to come down from it all, feeling a tad bit of sadness mixed with lots of relief. I will post the details and pictures soon. Overall, the wedding was surreal, amazing and perfect for us - thanks to family, friends and a lot of planning.

Wedding's taking shape!

The wedding plans are starting to take shape!!! We have decided to include a few close friends in addition to our family, the invitations are being printed, decided on beer and barbecue for the evening backyard reception, and a jass band. Who ever said you had to follow someone eles rules? Also, I have been thinking about flowers and am leaning towards lots of potted plants. Not only is it "green," but they will last longer than flower arrangements.

Provencial Blue and Yellow

We picked blue and yellow for our wedding colors, which I think will be perfect for a Summer wedding. I hope to do a mix of bright blues and yellows as well as some softer pastel versions of the colors just to mix it up. I don't want it to seem forced. So far I have some table linens picked out, but hope to use the colors in the flowers, cake, and other decor. After I picked the colors, I realized that they are the traditional colors for Provence, which is where we will honeymoon. Perfect!

The "Wedding" Dress

My mom came into town last weekend and somehow managed to talk me into a white dress. The anti-wedding wedding is turning more and more into the wedding-like wedding. Still keeping it Lauren-like though. Check out my dresses and shoes!

I have loved Betsey Johnson since the first time I stepped into her store at the Houston, Texas Galleria at age 15, but I never actually owned anything from her store until now. Dangerous place! The shoes are beautiful Italian leather and are actually comfortable, which is a must. We will find my fiance Alexander a tie to match the shoes and the color will fit well with our chosen wedding colors, which will be the next post.

Engaged!

Yep, it's happened to me! Alexander proposed on December 20, 2008 in the very same restaurant we met just over three years ago (December 9, 2005). I cried like a baby and made him repeat what he said because I could not even remember. I was so excited that I could not even finish my dessert. That never happens! All I know is I said yes!

The ring is a beautiful round center diamond set with small round accent "hearts on fire" diamonds and a band of round accent diamonds in white gold. The center stone sits high so you can see the entire diamond. It truly is a work of art. I LOVE it, and the fact that Alexander picked it out himself makes it even more special.

We thought we were going to get married at the court house, but things have changed. We are looking forward to an engagement party thrown by our lovely friends Amanda and Mary Quin. It is Spanish-themed bash with sangria and tapas served to our 30 closest friends and will take place on March 28.

The next few blogs will certainly be about our June 6, 2009 wedding, where 13 of our closest family members will join us at our home for wine and cheese, a short garden ceremony, and a champagne toast, followed by a dinner at the same restaurant were we became the future Mr. and Mrs. B!

I never thought this would happen, but I am really into the wedding planning now. The next posts are certainly to be about my new joy: planning a divine summer party for our nuptials!